AMonger
Veteran Expediter
State trooper pulls over mayor, then the mayor pulls over the trooper. The mayor fancies himself a lawman, apparently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGxc4U4N4Xo&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Found more info:
The State Law Enforcement Division has been asked by the S.C. Department of Public Safety to investigate Norway Mayor Jim Preacher's status as a law enforcement officer after Preacher was stopped for speeding by a state trooper on Jan. 18, then pulled over the same trooper immediately following the traffic stop.
Sid Gaulden, SCDPS spokesman, said the agency submitted the request to SLED on Thursday.
"We have asked SLED to do an inquiry on the mayor's status as a law enforcement officer," Gaulden said Friday afternoon.
Preacher told The Times and Democrat Friday that the state Criminal Justice Academy gave him a "clear status" to serve as chief constable of the town of Norway. He said he had "some makeup work to do" to be recertified as a law enforcement officer but has a year to complete that work.
Preacher said Norway's "law enforcement department" began operating this week.
Norway Town Council this month approved first and second readings of an amendment of the town's law enforcement ordinance to allow the town to hire a constable rather than a police chief.
Last year, the council disbanded the Norway Police Department, and the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office had been conducting routine patrols and providing law enforcement in the town since that time.
Gaulden said the SCDPS request for a SLED investigation into Preacher's law enforcement status came on the heels of two traffic stops initiated Wednesday evening.
He said that at around 7 p.m. on Jan. 18, S.C. Highway Patrol Trooper S.M. Williams "stopped a Dodge Charger for speeding on S.C. Highway 400 in Orangeburg County near the town limits of Norway. The trooper identified the driver of the Dodge as Jim Preacher, mayor of Norway." "Williams issued him (Preacher) a citation for speeding at a rate of 70 mph in a 55 mph zone outside of the town limits," Gaulden said.
Preacher doesn't deny speeding.
He said when he was pulled by the trooper, he was acting in his capacity as chief constable in pursuing a vehicle believed to have been involved in an attempted robbery at the Horizon gas station inside the Norway town limits.
Moments after Preacher received the citation for speeding, Gaulden reported, "As the trooper began to drive off, the mayor pulled in behind the trooper and activated blue lights and siren in the Charger. The mayor walked up to the trooper's window and asked for the trooper's driver's license and registration, which the trooper gave to him.
"After some hesitation, I'm not sure how long that went on, Preacher returned the license and registration to the trooper and left the scene."
Gaulden continued, "Apparently, Preacher requested the trooper, at some point, to follow him to town hall where he would issue the trooper a summons, which the trooper refused to do."
Preacher denies he told the trooper to follow him to town hall so he could give him a summons.
"If I was going to give him a summons, I would have given him a summons," he said.
Preacher said he believes the problems with the trooper arose because "nobody knows that Norway has a law enforcement department," which he said has led to some confusion.
He said he doesn't want any more negative publicity about Norway and questioned the newsworthiness of the speeding ticket he received.
Preacher said in addition to serving as Norway's mayor and chief constable, he's also overseeing the town's water and sewer operations. His son is working on a contractual basis to assist with the water and sewer maintenance, he said.
"The town doesn't have any money and hasn't paid an electric bill since November," Preacher said.
"Sometimes you've just got to do what you've got to do to survive."
S.C. state law prohibits dual office holding for honor or profit, with the exception, however, of an office-holder serving as a member of a lawfully organized fire department, as a constable or as a notary public.
Asked if he receives a salary as constable and, if so, how much he's paid, Preacher said, "I get paid a salary, but if my life depended on it, I couldn't tell you what it is."
He said certified police officers who would like to volunteer their services in Norway are encouraged to do so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGxc4U4N4Xo&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Found more info:
The State Law Enforcement Division has been asked by the S.C. Department of Public Safety to investigate Norway Mayor Jim Preacher's status as a law enforcement officer after Preacher was stopped for speeding by a state trooper on Jan. 18, then pulled over the same trooper immediately following the traffic stop.
Sid Gaulden, SCDPS spokesman, said the agency submitted the request to SLED on Thursday.
"We have asked SLED to do an inquiry on the mayor's status as a law enforcement officer," Gaulden said Friday afternoon.
Preacher told The Times and Democrat Friday that the state Criminal Justice Academy gave him a "clear status" to serve as chief constable of the town of Norway. He said he had "some makeup work to do" to be recertified as a law enforcement officer but has a year to complete that work.
Preacher said Norway's "law enforcement department" began operating this week.
Norway Town Council this month approved first and second readings of an amendment of the town's law enforcement ordinance to allow the town to hire a constable rather than a police chief.
Last year, the council disbanded the Norway Police Department, and the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office had been conducting routine patrols and providing law enforcement in the town since that time.
Gaulden said the SCDPS request for a SLED investigation into Preacher's law enforcement status came on the heels of two traffic stops initiated Wednesday evening.
He said that at around 7 p.m. on Jan. 18, S.C. Highway Patrol Trooper S.M. Williams "stopped a Dodge Charger for speeding on S.C. Highway 400 in Orangeburg County near the town limits of Norway. The trooper identified the driver of the Dodge as Jim Preacher, mayor of Norway." "Williams issued him (Preacher) a citation for speeding at a rate of 70 mph in a 55 mph zone outside of the town limits," Gaulden said.
Preacher doesn't deny speeding.
He said when he was pulled by the trooper, he was acting in his capacity as chief constable in pursuing a vehicle believed to have been involved in an attempted robbery at the Horizon gas station inside the Norway town limits.
Moments after Preacher received the citation for speeding, Gaulden reported, "As the trooper began to drive off, the mayor pulled in behind the trooper and activated blue lights and siren in the Charger. The mayor walked up to the trooper's window and asked for the trooper's driver's license and registration, which the trooper gave to him.
"After some hesitation, I'm not sure how long that went on, Preacher returned the license and registration to the trooper and left the scene."
Gaulden continued, "Apparently, Preacher requested the trooper, at some point, to follow him to town hall where he would issue the trooper a summons, which the trooper refused to do."
Preacher denies he told the trooper to follow him to town hall so he could give him a summons.
"If I was going to give him a summons, I would have given him a summons," he said.
Preacher said he believes the problems with the trooper arose because "nobody knows that Norway has a law enforcement department," which he said has led to some confusion.
He said he doesn't want any more negative publicity about Norway and questioned the newsworthiness of the speeding ticket he received.
Preacher said in addition to serving as Norway's mayor and chief constable, he's also overseeing the town's water and sewer operations. His son is working on a contractual basis to assist with the water and sewer maintenance, he said.
"The town doesn't have any money and hasn't paid an electric bill since November," Preacher said.
"Sometimes you've just got to do what you've got to do to survive."
S.C. state law prohibits dual office holding for honor or profit, with the exception, however, of an office-holder serving as a member of a lawfully organized fire department, as a constable or as a notary public.
Asked if he receives a salary as constable and, if so, how much he's paid, Preacher said, "I get paid a salary, but if my life depended on it, I couldn't tell you what it is."
He said certified police officers who would like to volunteer their services in Norway are encouraged to do so.
Last edited: